Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks upon arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. on April 10, 2024. Photo by Alyssa Pointer
ATLANTA (AP) – Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed Jewish voters who support President Joe Biden, framing this year's election as a referendum on the strength of Christianity in the United States. , part of a sharp and continuing appeal to conservative evangelicals. A key element of his political platform.
Speaking in Atlanta ahead of the fundraiser, he reiterated his continued criticism of Biden's response to the Israel-Hamas war and his administration's support for the rights of LGBTQ Americans, including transgender people.
“Biden has completely lost control of the situation in Israel,” he said, noting that Trump's rise to power in 2016 relied heavily on white Christian conservatives. “Jews who vote for Democrats or Jews who vote for Biden should have their heads examined.”
Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that future U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza depends on the swift implementation of new measures to protect civilians and aid workers. In response, President Trump spoke.
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Trump's interpretation is that Biden has “completely abandoned Israel.”
On the Gaza conflict, Biden is caught between conservatives (both Christians and Jews) and progressives who want unwavering support for Netanyahu's government. This issue is especially important for conservative Christians, among Trump's most supportive voters, who see the political state of Israel as God's chosen people, a modern manifestation of the Old Testament Israelites in the Christian Bible. is important.
But Biden's left is dominated by progressives outraged by Israeli retaliation in the Gaza Strip, which has left thousands of Palestinians dead. The president has been greeted by protesters multiple times during his spring travels, and activists have warned that Biden is on track to be renominated in many Democratic primaries. is voting against.
The president's campaign pushed back Wednesday.
“Jewish Americans do not need to be ‘talked down’ or threatened by Donald Trump,” Biden spokesman James Singer said in a statement. “This is what President Trump is doing, using division and hatred as a political weapon in his pursuit of power for himself. Voters from all walks of life will once again expect President Trump’s chaos, violence, and unbridled lack of control in November.” He will reject the threat.”
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In Georgia, Mr. Trump sparked new Christian support by replacing Election Day stakes with religious language.
“November 5th will be the most important day in our nation's history and will be Christian Visibility Day,” President Trump said, repeating “Christian Visibility Day” for emphasis. .
He predicted that Christians “will come out and vote like never before.”
The former president was nodding to conservative Christians' anger over Biden's recognition of International Transgender Visibility Day, a worldwide celebration of transgender people and their struggles.
The event's origins date back to 2009, but it has become even more popular this year, coinciding with Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian calendar. When Biden, a Catholic, announced his March 29 proclamation making the same Sunday the official Transgender Day of Visibility in the United States, conservatives reacted with a firestorm on social media, criticizing Biden and his Some comments suggested that his aides may have deliberately chosen this date. insult Christians.
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“Today we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. Your voice is heard. You are understood. You have a place.” Biden said. stated in the declaration. “You are America, and the entire administration and I stand with you.”
Most of the president's critics ignored the fact that he issued a separate statement about Easter itself, specifically reflecting his faith.
“Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ's resurrection,” Biden said. “As we gather with our loved ones, we remember the sacrifice of Jesus. We pray for one another and cherish the blessings of the dawning of new possibilities. At a time when we are making a huge sacrifice in lost lives, we renew our resolve to: “Work for peace, security and dignity for all people.''
“From our family to yours, Happy Easter and God bless you,” Biden concluded.
Notably, President Trump also reiterated his position on abortion on Wednesday, arguing that the issue should be left to state governments and that even there Republicans should not pursue an absolute ban. . This is an overall approach that puts the former president to the left of the most outspoken speakers. Christian right-wing activist. However, President Trump did not bring up religious doctrine or loyalty in this regard.
